iFixit gives a Blendtec blender the once-over

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Ever wonder exactly how the people at Blendtec manage to blend, well, pretty much everything? Curious are ya? Well, the crazy folks at iFixit got hold of the base model (only 1560 watts) and took that bad boy apart. What follows is internet history.

* The shaft is made entirely of metal. Other blenders use plastic shafts as a
safety mechanism. If the blade gets stuck, the blade/motor connection will
sever, as the plastic will either break or melt. The Blendtec blender relies on
electronics instead. Should things get out of hand, a sensor will shut off the
motor.

* The speed sensor uses inductive pickup to tell the control circuitry how fast
the shaft is spinning. This is the same mechanism used by an electric guitar to
pick up string vibrations.

* Blendtec informed us that the Total Blender includes what they call a
“hammer-fire” system. The main microprocessor will trigger this system if it
detects that the blade stopped spinning. The processor will send a series of
strong electric pulses to the motor to free the blades from the obstruction. If
that fails, it will shut off the motor to prevent any damage.

* The logic board is clear-coated to prevent the inevitable condensation from
shorting the electronic components.

* The blender’s rotor looks badass. It has more than a passing resemblance to a
pod racer engine.

* We’re told that the motor temperature has to reach a maximum of 130 degrees
Celsius (266 degrees Fahrenheit) before it automatically shuts off!

* We did not reassemble the blender to see if worked. 13 Amps, spinning at
28,000 RPM (that’s a 270 MPH blade tip speed) on a slightly-unbalanced shaft
just strikes us as a bad idea!